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I Don’t Care if it’s Just Summer League, I’ve Seen Enough: Labaron Philon Jr. is the Chosen One
By Matt Schultz
Published:
If you haven’t been keeping up with Summer League, allow me to catch you up. It shouldn’t take long. There’s only one story that matters: Labaron Philon Jr. absolutely rules.
The Sixers have played two Summer League games so far. In the matchup against the Pistons, the 22nd draft pick had 18 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, and a steal on 6-of-19 shooting (4-of-10 from three-point range) in 29 minutes. In Philly’s second matchup against the Pacers, Philon had 24 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal on 9-of-22 shooting (2-of-5 from three-point range) in 34 minutes.
These numbers are excellent. They’re slightly nuts. Two games in, Philon might already be too good for Summer League, which is the best-case scenario for a rookie scoring guard. But as great as the stat lines are, it’s looked even better on the court:
Come on! I’m hyped! I’ve watched both of these videos a handful of times already, and during each watch I’m still smiling huge and slightly shaking my head in a disbelief kind of way! Philon is doing everything you’d hope he would do. He’s pulling up for three when defenders go under screens. He’s taking his time with the ball in his hands. He’s methodically getting to his spots. He’s creating separation by initiating contact. He’s hitting tough mid-range jumpers with hands in his face. He’s patiently making correct reads. He’s hitting the big out of pick and rolls with perfectly timed passes. He’s beating his defenders off the dribble, getting into the paint, hitting floaters, and finishing through contact. The guy is doing it all…
I like this Lou Williams comp! I like it a lot! I’m also seeing some Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in there! Lou Will mixed with SGA, minus the foul baiting. That sounds pretty good to me. That’s the official verdict. That’s who Philon is, and he is a Sixer. I will take it. Thank you.
And on top of playing as well as he is, Philon’s already saying cool-as-hell confident stuff like this:
I, for one, have seen enough. There’s only one conclusion to be made. Philon is the chosen one. I will not back down from this. This take will not come back to haunt me. I will never look dumb for saying this after two Summer League games. No way.
Matt Schultz is a comedy and sports writer from Philadelphia. He’s written extensively for ClickHole, The Onion, and Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco. His work has been featured in Vulture, Deadspin, The A.V. Club, Paste Magazine, and other publications. Much of his sports journalism can be found on college basketball websites that don’t exist anymore (PhilaHoops Heads rise up…) email: M.Schultz@sportradar.com